Pelts 



The leopard can by no means be considered a 

 denizen of the big jungles, since he is always 

 to be found on the outskirts of civilization, lying 

 up in forest or grassy tracts in the vicinity of 

 villages, and coming out in the evening to prowl 

 round the village environs on the look out for the 

 titbits he is so fond of. 



His colouring of fulvous yellow, with the black 

 ringed rosette markings all over the body and tail, 

 is particularly adapted to concealment, since it so 

 closely resembles his environment, and combined 

 with his slinking, skulking habits, enables him to 

 carry on his pilfering depredations on the villager's 

 possessions in a markedly successful manner. 

 With all their cleverness and ingenuity in finesse, 

 to call it by no stronger term, the villager has not 

 yet discovered how to successfully bring ' spots ' 

 to book. The latter will lie up in a bush but a 

 fraction the size of himself, and crouch so low 

 and keep so still as to deceive and escape even 

 the keen sight of the jungle-bred villager. 



That he should in ninety-nine cases out of the 

 hundred give us the go-by is therefore scarcely 

 to be wondered at. 



His craft and guile extends not merely to 

 securing his daily meal. It is equally expended 

 and brought into play for his own self-preservation 

 and protection. 



I have often pondered and meditated over this 

 animal, and endeavoured to form some estimate 



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